


Hugo Strange - Bait

by Nathaniel_Quietly



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 09:04:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16215839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathaniel_Quietly/pseuds/Nathaniel_Quietly
Summary: So for those who havent heard, October is here and we at DC Animated Adventures are teaming up with Nazario Designs to giveaway the complete Batman: The Animated Series on DVD! Chris will draw a villain a day and you just write a short 400-500 word story about that character and you're entered! That simple!Lance and I decided that we wanted to play along as well, even though we're not qualified to win (as we are putting on the contest). Here's my entry for today, the nefarious Hugo Strange. (Check outThe DCAA Facebookfor more information.)





	Hugo Strange - Bait

Oh, child, no. Do not be afraid. I didn’t take you. I saved you. Don’t you see?

I'm Batman.

Not the first Batman, of course. Though I have met him, yes. Deduced his identity. He was a man of strength and darkness, a perfect specimen of humanity. I was the only person who could ever understand him, know him. Love him. His darkness mirrored my own.

Ha ha ha. Listen to me, getting ahead of myself. “Was.” I spoke of the man in the past tense. As though he were no longer with us. No, the originator of the mantle I now wear is still very much alive. For now.

I’m sorry? What? Oh, no. No no no. No Robins for me, not yet. Though I admit, I have machinations in place to change that. My laboratory is positively acrackle with the genetic components for creating the perfect “side-kick.” And if the result is unsatisfactory...if the fate that befell so many of my Monster Men takes them as well….

Well. Accidents happen. I’m sure a young boy can be orphaned with startling alacrity in Gotham.

Oh, not you, my dear child. I’m afraid you are the wrong gender. Whoever heard of a little girl Robin? Besides, you are meant to be so much more.

Where was I?

Oh yes. The soon-to-be former occupant of the cape and cowl. It is my professional opinion--and that opinion is worth quite a lot in the science community, young lady, and you can take that to the bank--is that the man who would be Bat should, finally, succumb to his darkness. He has never embraced it, and has therefore never truly become a whole creature. He is divided, fragmented, like so many of the so-called “rogues” he faces. 

Not like me. That is where we differ. I have learned so much since I embraced my own darkness. It was...freeing.

Oh please, dear, do stop struggling. The ropes are tight enough to break your precious skin, and you could do undue injury to yourself before the time is right. What, this? Yes, it is rather impressive, isn’t it? The property of a former patient of mine. Your parents might have read about him in the Gazette, a Victor Szasz. He’s safely locked away in the bowls of Arkham at the moment, and has no need of this charming stiletto. Having counseled him during one of our mutual stays there, it seemed only right to put it to use in my plans.

Oh, there I go again. Speaking to you of things you couldn’t possibly know yet. I apologise. You see, I needed to lure the Batman to a location of my choosing, a place where I would have “home court advantage,” to use a colloquialism. In order to do so, I manipulated the gentleman’s deep devotion to children in order to distract him, to cloud his thinking. He’ll be here soon, and I will kill him, and I will claim his mantle for myself. 

And I will have saved you from a world where a pretender, a dilettante, an unworthy wears the cowl..

You understand, don’t you child?

I did not take you. I used you.

You’re bait.


End file.
